Mort Rainey, a successful author, is passing through a hard period in his life. After catching his wife sleeping with another man, they separate and he moves away from the city to somewhere in the country. One day a man appears at his door, presenting himself as John Shooter, and accuses Mort of copying a story from him. Although Mort believes things can be solved once he shows Shooter the original version, which had appeared two years before Shooter's version, written in 1997, while Rainey's was published in early 1995. He can't seem to be able to get an original copy in the time limit set by Shooter. Strange things then start happening that prevent him from receiving the needed original, and Mort tries to find out who Shooter really is and if he is responsible for the things that have been happening.

Movie Soundtrack(s):
"Chico and the Man"
"Once in a Lifetime"
"Get Down"

More Movie Taglines:

The most important part of a story is the ending.

Some windows should never be opened.

Movie Quote(s):

[Mort believes Shooter is in his bathroom and attacks with a fireplace poker] Mort: I killed a mirror. Mort: And my shower door.

Ted: Maybe I should take a walk around the block. Amy: Yes, that'd be good. Mort: Aw heck, Ted, live a little - make it two. Rubbernecker.

John Shooter: Thought you didn't smoke. Mort: I took it up recently, for my health.

Mort: This is not my beautiful house. This is not my beautiful wife. Anymore.

Mort: You know, the only thing that matters is the ending. It's the most important part of the story, the ending. And this one... is very good. This one's perfect.

Movie Trivia:

Ving Rhames was offered a role but turned it down due to a scheduling conflict.

James Newton Howard was going to compose with Hans Zimmer, but when he was replaced, Zimmer bowed out as well. Philip Glass and Geoff Zanelli came into the project instead.

The movie's premiere date was moved up a month to ride the coat-tails of Johnny Depp's success in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) which earned him a SAG award and an Oscar nomination.

Stephen King traded the rights to this film in order to get the rights to "Kingdom Hospital" (2004).

Johnny Depp's line, "This is not my beautiful house. This is not my beautiful wife. Anymore.", is taken from the Talking Heads' song "Once in a Lifetime".